Wire mattress.



No. 810,519. PATENTED JAN. 23, 1906,

W. BILLS.

WIRE MATTRESS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17. 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WIRE MATTRESS- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented a... 23, 1906.

Application filed July 17,1905. Serial No. 270,011.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER BILLs, wiremattress manufacturer, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Sturt street, South Melbourne, in the State of Victoria and Commonwealth of Australia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire Mattresses, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide means for strengthening wire mattresses in such a manner that they will not sag or yield under pressure in the manner usual with these kind of mattresses and will be altogether more durable. The ordinary remedy for this defect is to merely put a greater tension on the wire fabric by spreading the frames there of farther apart; but this is unsatisfactory, inasmuch as the mattress will still sag or yield in the middle, and particularly at the sides, when subjected to the weight of a person, and the consequence is that the fabric is still further stretched, and thereby weakened, until it is only a question of time when the mattress will be useless. Now to overcome this defect in mattresses a number of comparatively stout wires are attached at intervals to the bottom bar of the frame and threaded longitudinall through the mesh of the wire fabric and t en passed over the usual adjustable beam, where the ends are formed into or joined to short spiral springs attached to the top bar of the rigid frame. By this arrangement the mattress is held up against its sagging tendency without interfering with the usual means for tightening the fabric when required.

It is possible by the application of this invention to construct mattresses with a lighter mesh than usual, and thereby effect a considerable saving in the initial cost of manufacture, while the expense of applying it to the ordinary wire mattress is insignificant comparable with its usefulness.

The drawings illustrating the invention comprise, Figure 1, a plan of a wire mattress with my improvements attached thereto, and, Fig. 2, an enlarged longitudinal section thereof broken.

According to this invention comparatively stout steel wires 1 are threaded longitudinally through the mesh of the wire mattress 2 at intervals, and each wire is secured to the bottom bar 3 of the rigid wooden frame 4, preferably by bending one end 5 thereof, as shown in Fig. 2, and driving same into the side of said bar. The other end of the wire passes over the ordinary adjustable beam 6 and out through the mesh of the mattress, where it is formed into a hook 7 and joined to a strong spiral spring 8. This spring extends through a hole 9 in the top bar 10 of the rigid frame and is secured thereto, preferably by bending its end back and driving same into the side of said bar, as shown in Fig. 2. The object of connecting the wires to the frame at one end by a spring is to enable said wires to yield a little when subjected to a sudden tensional strain. The number of these wires and the distance between same will vary according to the size and strength of the mattress; but the arrangement shoWn in Fig. 1 is preferred. The effect of fitting these wires to mattresses is to reinforce or support same without any interference with the means for adjusting the tension of the fabric.

I am aware of reinforcing-wires having pre-' viously been fitted between the bottom bar and the adjustable rail used for tightening purposes, and this construction I specifically disclaim.

The invention is also obviously applicable to couch-bottoms made of woven-wire fabric.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is 1. A wire mattress having a number of comparatively stout wires threaded longitudinally through the fabric one end of each wire being bent back and driven into the side of the bottom bar of the frame while the other end is formed into a hook and attached to a spiral spring, said spring extending through a hole in the top bar of the rigid frame and formed with a bent end adapted to be driven into the side of said bar substantially as set forth.

2. In a wire mattress, the combination of a frame comprising two side bars, a cross-bar In testimony whereof I have hereunto set rigidly mounted on each end of said side bars, my hand in presence of two subscribing Wita plurality of Wires connected to the end bars, nesses.

a cross-bar mounted intermediate of the end WALTER BILLS. bars, a Woven fabric connected to one end bar and to the intermediate bar, and means to adjust the fabric Without adjusting the wires.

Witnesses:

EDWARD NEEDHAM WATERS, WILLIAM HERBERT WATERS. 

